A
Anonymous
Guest
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harkin takes GIPSA to task
Thursday, January 19, 2006, 4:10 PM
by Tom Steever
The Grain Inspection Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) has been called on the carpet by the ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee. A USDA Inspector General report requested last April by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin was issued Wednesday.
The report says that GIPSA hasn't enforced the 85-year-old Packers and Stockyards Act. "I had no idea it was as bad as it is," said Harkin Thursday. Further, according to Harkin, the report alleges that top GIPSA officials have actively blocked efforts to enforce it.
Harkin told reporters Thursday that the Senate Agriculture Committee should take additional action. "I really think this requires further investigation," Harkin said, referring to the agency, "and quite frankly, I think the Agriculture Committee ought to meet, we ought to subpoena some of these people, put them under oath and find out just what is going on down there."
Harkin says the Senate Ag Committee should compel current and former high-ranking GIPSA officials to testify, although he concedes he can't make that happen on his own.
--------------------------
Today 1/19/2006 6:45:00 PM
Sen. Burns: USDA Must Better Regulate Packers
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) expressed his concern today over a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) citing significant failures in the USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) oversight and enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards programs.
"The findings of this report are deeply troubling. The officials at GIPSA need to wake up and do the job they're charged with, and that's enforcing the Packers and Stockyards Act," said Senator Burns. "Our Montana producers have long complained about anti-competitive behavior and botched investigations and this report bears that out."
The report found that the agency inflated reports of investigative actions, including classifying routine activities such as sending letters as an investigation. Regional offices were directed to classify certain activities as investigations, and one regional office was reprimanded for failing to expand its definition of investigations.
The audit also noted that the agency lacked internal controls to ensure that investigations were thoroughly completed, and that headquarters often failed to take action on requests for policy guidance. The agency had 64 policy issues waiting for action, many of which had been delayed for more than a year. In two cases, policy issues had been waiting since 2000. Finally, the report noted that past recommendations from the OIG as well as the Government Accountability Office had not been fully implemented.
"I urge Administrator Link to take this report seriously and take comprehensive action to ensure competition in the livestock industry. I understand that the agency has taken some actions already to remedy these flaws, but this audit notes that the agency has had trouble in the past with fully implementing reforms," said Burns, a senior member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. "When we review the agency's budget requests for this year, I intend to raise these findings with USDA and ensure that meaningful action has been taken."
Harkin takes GIPSA to task
Thursday, January 19, 2006, 4:10 PM
by Tom Steever
The Grain Inspection Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) has been called on the carpet by the ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee. A USDA Inspector General report requested last April by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin was issued Wednesday.
The report says that GIPSA hasn't enforced the 85-year-old Packers and Stockyards Act. "I had no idea it was as bad as it is," said Harkin Thursday. Further, according to Harkin, the report alleges that top GIPSA officials have actively blocked efforts to enforce it.
Harkin told reporters Thursday that the Senate Agriculture Committee should take additional action. "I really think this requires further investigation," Harkin said, referring to the agency, "and quite frankly, I think the Agriculture Committee ought to meet, we ought to subpoena some of these people, put them under oath and find out just what is going on down there."
Harkin says the Senate Ag Committee should compel current and former high-ranking GIPSA officials to testify, although he concedes he can't make that happen on his own.
--------------------------
Today 1/19/2006 6:45:00 PM
Sen. Burns: USDA Must Better Regulate Packers
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) expressed his concern today over a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) citing significant failures in the USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) oversight and enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards programs.
"The findings of this report are deeply troubling. The officials at GIPSA need to wake up and do the job they're charged with, and that's enforcing the Packers and Stockyards Act," said Senator Burns. "Our Montana producers have long complained about anti-competitive behavior and botched investigations and this report bears that out."
The report found that the agency inflated reports of investigative actions, including classifying routine activities such as sending letters as an investigation. Regional offices were directed to classify certain activities as investigations, and one regional office was reprimanded for failing to expand its definition of investigations.
The audit also noted that the agency lacked internal controls to ensure that investigations were thoroughly completed, and that headquarters often failed to take action on requests for policy guidance. The agency had 64 policy issues waiting for action, many of which had been delayed for more than a year. In two cases, policy issues had been waiting since 2000. Finally, the report noted that past recommendations from the OIG as well as the Government Accountability Office had not been fully implemented.
"I urge Administrator Link to take this report seriously and take comprehensive action to ensure competition in the livestock industry. I understand that the agency has taken some actions already to remedy these flaws, but this audit notes that the agency has had trouble in the past with fully implementing reforms," said Burns, a senior member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. "When we review the agency's budget requests for this year, I intend to raise these findings with USDA and ensure that meaningful action has been taken."